Can a fifth starter be the ace of a pitching staff? Boston Red Sox pitcher Steven Wright is making a very strong case for it, even with a losing record.
Last night’s game was Wright’s first victory in three starts this season. However, the way that Boston’s fifth starting pitcher has performed in those three starts has got people talking. In 6.2 innings, Wright allowed an unearned run on four hits, five walks, and six strikeouts against the Houston Astros. Both of his other starts were against the Toronto Blue Jays, one home game and one away game, and allowed only three earned runs combined. In every start, Wright was able to finish the sixth inning, making the bullpen only need to work the last third of each ballgame.
Those are not the numbers of a simple fifth starter. Considering that Wright is a right-handed knuckleball pitcher, one would expect him to bleed runs like a Tim Wakefield or R.A. Dickey. The ball slowly moves within the strikezone, allowing hits to happen, even if they are hit poorly to the defenders. With every hit, there’s more of a chance for runs to score; at least, that’s the understood argument.
However, Wright actually has the smallest earned run average on the current Red Sox starting rotation. Wright has posted a 1.40 ERA, while the closest Boston pitcher is Rick Porcello with a 4.66 ERA. Clay Buchholz (5.74 ERA), David Price (7.06 ERA), and Joe Kelly (9.35 ERA) round out the rest of the starters. Each of the pitchers has had three or more starts, with Price having the most with four starts.
So, why doesn’t Wright have the most wins? It’s all about run support. Porcello, another pitcher making an argument for ace status, has given up five home runs, but he has also been able to limit the damage with a .205 opposing batting average and a high degree of run support from the Boston bats to overtake the other teams later in games to earn three straight wins. Buchholz, Price, and Kelly have had the same kind of support to provide them with six no-decisions, especially after a number of bad outings. While the rest of the starters have lasted at least 15 innings, Kelly has only pitched 8.2 innings and yet has not recorded an official loss.
Wright has only walked eight batters while striking out 17, yet he had to wait for his third start to record his first win. He has the second best opposing batting average on the team with .225, yet the bats just couldn’t get the job done in his first two starts to give him his just rewards for his performances.
Last night’s game against the Astros, a team that made the playoffs last season, was a good game for the Red Sox on offense and on defense. Wright, however, just did what he’s already done this season: dominated the opposition.
Next: Red Sox Do Damage In Houston With Win
When we use that word to define a pitcher, we normally use it for an ace of the rotation. We normally use it to define pitchers like Price. We normally use it for pitchers who give their team the confidence to use their sticks to pound the baseball and score more runs than they usually do for their other pitchers. Instead, we are using it for Wright, a pitcher who is the fifth starter and hasn’t had the run support that other top pitchers often receive. After last night, it shouldn’t take long for the Red Sox bats to get hyped up for the next time Wright pitches, as it may be another game of domination that would lead to another all-important victory.